Introduction
A “quadcopter” is a type of aircraft similar to a
helicopter, but has four powered propellers which provide
lift. By varying the speed of each propeller, the aircraft
can be made to alter its orientation and direction of
motion.
The goal of this project is to create a quadcopter that can
autonomously track and follow a particular human as well as
respond to gesture-based commands. The human tracking will
rely on sensor data such as video images and GPS
coordinates. In addition, the quadcopter will have a wifi
connection, allowing live video feeds and data to be
streamed over the internet. Autonomous flight will include
auto-stabilization, obstacle avoidance, and a low battery
landing protocol. As an added safety measure, there will be
a radio control-based manual override.
Earlier senior projects used the quadcopter platform
XAircraft X650CF. However, no successful autonomous flight
resulted, therefore, the current project will be a new
endeavour. Using the existing platform, a carbon fiber frame
with four motors and speed controllers connected to an
input/output module, we will design, interface, write
software, and run diagnostics for sensors on the quadcopter.
Autonomous control will include the following:
• Manual override capability Self-stabilization during flight,
• GPS data processing for tracking a human with a GPS beacon,
• Vision-based tracking for indoor settings (where GPS is less
reliable),
• Gesture recognition from a tracked human, allowing intuitive
control, and Wifi data connection allowing video and data to stream to a
website
Motivation
The use of quadcopters has expanded rapidly in recent
years. Applications range from hobbyist quadcopters to
military drones. For our project, a quadcopter provides an
inexpensive way to safely follow a specific person, record
video, and respond to gesture-based commands.
Such a device can be used for hands-free communication or observation with
video and audio streaming. Applications could range from
watching your child walk to school remotely to following a
soldier into battle to see when they may need medical
attention. adcopter” is a type of aircraft similar to a
helicopter, but has four powered propellers which provide
lift. By varying the speed of each propeller, the aircraft
can be made to alter its orientation and direction of
motion.